THE TANTALISING PALATE!

By OMOSEYE BOLAJI

We take the culinary delights we are used to back at home (in our countries), for granted. But of course when we live far away from home, we have to get used to other types of meals, though we do miss certain items that titillate the palate, so to speak!

On my own part for example, intermittently I have a pang when I realise I cannot (easily) eat delicacies like dodo (fried plantains); akara (bean cakes); moin-moin, dundun (West African chips). The simple fact is that it is almost impossible to get such delicacies in South Africa.

Yet, the situation could have been worse. At least, thanks to the intrepid and innovative zest of some Nigerians, Nigerian foods are replicated to a certain extent in special restaurants in major cities of South Africa.

Admittedly, often it is some sort of hybrid, but the main thing is the savoury “peppery” dishes! Hybrid? Yes. What I mean is that all Nigerians, like other foreigners, have very much gotten used to the fact that the staple food in South Africa – beloved by virtually everybody here – is good old pap. Hence, in many special Nigerian restaurants, what we often refer to as “Nigerian food” here, is a combination of pap and wonderful Nigerian stews, meat including isi ewu on occasions!

For those wondering what pap is, what it looks like, or tastes like – just imagine food like semovita or eba (gari). Pap is along these lines. It is everybody’s food here – for the strong and weak; male and female, young and old!Naturally Nigerians (and there are so many of us in South African cities now) congregate to these (alas, few) Nigerian restaurants.

The clever ones (business people) build a whole “entertainment centre” for Nigerians around these restaurants – a place where Nigerians can meet, listen to music, chat, essentially let their hair down, drink and the likes. But the mammoth focal interest is the food!

For the cynics (even “critics”) out there, who might be thinking that this smirks of fragmentation, Nigerians forming “cliques”, it must be pointed out that more and more South Africans are relishing the food served at Nigerian restaurants. To cut to the chase, generally, once a South African can get over the “exceeding pepper” in our stews, they just cannot stop frequenting these restaurants!

How often have I heard them saying: “Eish you guys know how to prepare fantastic meals, especially your stews. I love eating pap or rice served with your wonderful stew,” So do we all! Incidentally, the other day, I saw two whites enjoying Nigerian food at such a place.

One South African who loves Nigerian meals so much, is the well known black author, critic and editor, Pule Lechesa. One of the highlights of the day for him is tucking into, at least, one meal at a Nigerian restaurant. Virtually every day he goes to such places to eat; sometimes we go together.

Mr. Lechesa intriguingly is getting to sound like a Nigerian more and more, thanks to his being a “regular customer” at such restaurants. Phrases like “Oga” “Igwe” “Ese” and a plethora of pidgin English reel off his tongue easily. But the one he often machine-guns out is: “Oga, I wan chop!” – meaning he’s hungry and he would be rushing to a Nigerian restaurant!